Chicago Stars forward Mallory Swanson is back.
The U.S. women’s national team forward made her first appearance for the Stars on Saturday against the North Carolina Courage, after 18 months away.
The Olympic gold medalist and one-third of the “Triple Espresso” trio from the 2024 Paris Olympics entered the match against the Courage in the 76th minute, replacing teammate Ryan Gareis. Swanson’s long-awaited return to the pitch was met with a loud ovation from fans, even as the home side trailed 4-0 after goals from Evelyn Ijeh in the 47th minute, Ashley Sanchez in the 61st, Ally Schlegel in the 64th and Manaka Matsukubo in the 85th.
Swanson’s comeback had been more than a year in the making. Her last appearance before maternity leave came on Nov. 3, 2024, in Chicago’s playoff quarterfinal loss to the Orlando Pride, the club’s final match before dropping the Red Stars name. Chicago struggled throughout the 2025 season, finishing at the bottom of the table after scoring just 32 goals in 26 matches.
The 28-year-old missed the entire 2025 campaign for the birth of her first child and maternity leave and was activated ahead of Saturday’s match. Swanson and her husband, Dansby Swanson, announced they were expecting their first child last May and welcomed their daughter, Josie, in November.
The Stars have struggled mightily. They are at the bottom of the standings, at 2-0-8, and are no doubt hoping Swanson’s return will provide a spark.
“Mal is Mal. Having her back is huge for us, but we also have to remember this was her first appearance after a very long time away,” Chicago head coach Martin Sjögren said. “There’s no need to put too much pressure on her right now.
“Once she’s back to 100 percent, and she will be, she’ll have a massive impact on this team. She’s one of the best players in the league. She fits our model perfectly, and the model is built around the qualities of players like her. We’re thrilled to have her back, both for the team and for her personally.”
In 2024, Swanson returned from injury to help the U.S. win Olympic gold while leading Chicago with 11 goal contributions. Earlier that year, she signed a long-term extension through 2028 in what the club described as the “most lucrative agreement in NWSL history,” though the financial details were never officially disclosed. CBS Sports reported the deal was worth close to $2 million over five years.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Chicago Red Stars, Women's Soccer
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